Two Lines
by Ambrosia Rush
Summary: Pre-series. It all starts with two lines... and ends with a wee girl in their arms.
1. Chapter 1

There is a rush of white noise and he can't hear a goddamn thing. There is a surge of unleashed panic that floods through every fibre of his being. He has been through plenty of shit in his life, and this is as close as he ever got to flat out fainting. He sat down heavily and stared blankly at the floor for a long minute.

It took about five minutes before his ears decide they wanted to work again, and slowly his brain started to process the ambient noises. He heard the hum of the refrigerator down the hall. There was a storm outside creating a rhythmic pitter-patter of rain hitting the frosted glass window along with the occasional rumble of thunder. His own breathing was mixed into it, it's a little too quick and he tried his best to force a calm. The _first thing _he heard though was her breathing, because out of everything the very first thing he always focussed on was her.

Her breathing was quick with the same panic he felt. He finally looked up at her from his sitting position on the side of the bathtub. Her hair was all wild and uncontrollable- very fitting to her personality. She was biting on her bottom lip and for some reason it calmed him. The shirt she wore was one of his, a black collared shirt that she had left the first four buttons undone on so he had a teasing view of her chest, and knew from that tease that she wasn't wearing a bra beneath it. The jeans were her own and hugged each of her curves in a very flattering manner. Her eyes were wide and staring blankly.

His dark eyes followed her line of sight to the object in her hand. When he'd first walked in, he had thought it was a thermometer and had immediately touched her forehead.

"You sick, Fi?" he had asked with a concerned look.

Her mouth had been open just slightly and she opened her mouth as if to speak but shut it. She chewed on her bottom lip, then sighed and simply turned the thin white object so he could take another look.

On the stick was a little key. One line not pregnant. Two lines pregnant.

His eyes travelled to the little oval which displayed two lines.

_White noise. _

He stared at her for a second longer and her eyes finally looked from the object in hand to him. His calm, cool and collected Fiona had a look of nervousness in her eyes, that more than anything prompted him into action.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and a flash of lightning added a shock of extra light to the little bathroom of their flat. "Fi," he said softly taking the home pregnancy test from her hand and setting it down on the counter. "You okay?"

"A baby, Filip," she said her eyes filled with worry. "We haven't ever spoken about children..."

"Ah," Filip responded. Despite the fact that coming home to see Fiona in the bathroom with a home pregnancy test was a shock to his system it wasn't like he was a complete moron about how children come into this world. Considering how often they ended up in the bedroom... or on the kitchen table, or on the rug in the living room, or the couch or... _wherever_, he knew that this situation was at very least a possibility if not an eventuality. "Well... I suspect over the next nine months we're going to be talking about one child in particular," he said placing a loving hand over her stomach.

Tears welled in her eyes. "I was so afraid you'd be mad."

"Mad?" Filip responded placing a soft kiss to her temple. "I think the shock took ten years off my life, but I'm not mad. We're having a baby."

She laughed, sounding absolutely joyous. "Yeah, yeah we are."

"You let me worry on the financial things," Filip said soothing a hand over her wild curls. "You just worry about keeping you and the wee one healthy, yeah?"

Trusting him to pull it all together, Fiona nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms wrapping around her waist, one trailing up her spine and into her hair as his lips laid claim on hers. The kiss was gentle, sweet, and joyous, both were smiling like fools when they backed away.

"Do you think it'll be a boy, or a girl?" Fiona asked stepping back, her hand grazing over her stomach wondering at the little blessing they'd created.

He shrugged. "Girl," he decided. "She'll have your hair."

Fiona laughed. "Boy," she guessed. "And he'll have your smile."

::

**This is going to be a three-shot, so look forward to more ;) **

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Filip Telford was fretting. If you want to know the truth, he'd spent the past seven months fretting. It wasn't the financial stuff that he was worried about anymore, although it had been a legitimate concern during the first few months of Fiona's pregnancy. With the baby on the way he needed to make cash and quick, with Fiona's contacts he quickly became involved with the IRA even if it did leave the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up. His unease mattered little in the scheme of things though- working with the IRA gave him a healthy paycheck and to take care of his family he would do anything.

They had found out that he'd been right, they were having a little girl. Suddenly their wee one had an gender, an identity. It wasn't just some little fetus anymore, it was their _baby girl. _

He made sure all of the outlets were covered in little child protectors. Put clasps on the cabinets and toilet seat- much to Fiona's dismay. Apparently when a pregnant woman has to pee, she _really_ has to pee and little plastic safety contraptions nearly made her wet her pants. (He agreed to take it off until the baby actually was here.)

Then there was Fiona, there had been that awful morning sickness faze that had him holding her hair every morning, passing her glasses of water, getting wet face cloths and basically feeling completely and utterly useless. Then there had been the backaches which he'd tried to massage out but apparently carrying a child around every waking hour prevents you from actually ever getting the kink out. She waddled around most days and he was always nervous she'd fall, hell, he figured she couldn't even see her own two feet anymore. Whenever she walked up the stairs in front of the flat he'd walk behind her just waiting for her to fall.

Fiona found his obsessive worrying rather humourous. Today, she laughed a solid five minutes straight when she caught him sitting on the couch reading a copy of 'What To Expect When You're Expecting.' His eyes narrowed at her as he peered over his reading glasses. "I'm being informed."

She pressed her lips together tightly but the corners kept creeping up and she burst out laughing once again as she walked around the couch. He reached out to help her lower herself down. "I've got it Filip. You think I can't manage to sit on the couch when you're at work?"

This was true enough, surely she got along just fine when he wasn't around, but when he was around he wanted to make her as comfortable as possible. She was doing all the heavy lifting in this baby making deal. "Just... let me."

"Thank you, love," Fiona whispered pressing her forehead to his. "What chapter are you on?"

"Well.. I read ahead..."

The worry in his tone had her leaning in closer to look at the book. "Ah, Labour and Delivery."

There was a shudder down his spine. "It sounds horrific."

Fiona burst out with laughter. "This is why it's women who give birth. If it were men our species would be extinct within a generation. Don't you worry, I'm the one who has to do all the hard bits."

Filip frowned. "That's what I'm worried about."

"Oh, my sweet Filip," she softly caressed the side of his face. "Fret not, women give birth everyday, it's completely natural." She reached to the coffee table and picked up a few coloured papers. "What's this?"

He looked over and gave a sheepish grin. He had spent the past week trying to decide between the typical baby girl pink or a happy yellow for the nursery. "Those are coloured paper."

"I see that. Why do you have them," she raised an eyebrow and her eyes dared him to try lying.

He just smiled. "It's for the nursery." When it came to Fiona, coming clean was always the best route.

She smiled. "Yellow," she replied handing him the corresponding chip while she flicked the pink one back to the table.

"Yellow it'll be," he responded putting an arm over her shoulder, he turned slightly so he could put his other hand over her belly. "How do you feel about yellow?" He asked the baby and was surprised to feel a little kick under his hand. The smile took over his face as he looked back to his loves eyes. With Fiona there beside him, the baby healthy and strong under his hand the worries ebbed away, at least... _for a little while_.

::

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading :) **


	3. Chapter 3

11:15 PM: He's pulling down the sheets. He's exhausted. All he wants to do is crawl into bed with his wife and get some much needed sleep. Fiona appears in the doorway and she's wide-eyed. "My water just broke."

11:26 PM: He's driving like a maniac. He doesn't understand how their can be traffic at this time of night. Who are these people? Where are they going? It matters little. Fiona was gripping his hand tightly as she looked ahead stonily, keeping quiet through her contractions but there was pain on her face and it made him drive just a little bit faster.

11:40 PM: They're at the nurses station of the maternity ward. He has no idea what he's suppose to be doing. He feels useless as Fiona, pants through another contraction, her hands braced on the desk.

11:59 PM: He's filling out the necessary paperwork. Fiona is now dressed in a hospital gown. The nurse is hovering over her, taking her blood pressure, asking her questions as to when wether her water has broken. _It has_. When the contractions started. _Right after_. If there had been any vaginal bleeding. _Filip shudders. _

12:31 AM: The baby's heartbeat was up on the screen along with Fiona's. His hand was in hers. The nurse had completed a little exam and it's official, after waiting nine months Fiona is going into labour.

1:56 AM: He waits impatiently. He wants to see his little girl. The doctor has instructed Fiona to walk the halls, and so he walks along side her, stopping when a contraction hits. He can see it on her face, she's just as impatient as he.

4:20 AM: What. The. Fuck. He rubs his exhausted eyes. Seriously? Why wasn't the baby here already?

4:24 AM: The nurse tells Fiona to walk the halls again. He can tell she wants to strangle the nurse.

5:32 AM: He wakes to his hand being squeezed. He asks if she's alright and gets a nod in response.

6:45 AM: The doctor finally, _finally_ gives Fiona permission to start pushing.

6:55 AM: He thinks his finger is broken.

7:23 AM: He's still holding her hand but he takes a peek. Childbirth is traumatic and he stares with the same kind of fascination he would watch a train wreck.

7:43 AM: He's taken forcefully from the room. Something is wrong. Something is wrong with Fi. Something is wrong with his little girl. The door shuts behind the doctors and nurses and he's standing in the hallway staring.

7:50 AM: He is pacing the hall in front of the door. Someone has to come out. Someone has to tell him what is going on.

8:15 AM: The doctor emerges and looks jubilant. Filip's stress eases. The doctor smiles and extends his hand. "Congratulations, Mr Telford. You're now the father of a perfectly healthy six pound, three ounce baby girl."

8:16 AM: He's back in the room and he gets a good look at Fiona, she gives him a tired smile. In her arms is a baby, their baby girl wrapped up in a soft pink blanket.

8:17 AM: Fiona passes him the baby girl and he's nervous to take her, afraid he'll hurt her. With the bundle in his arms, he smiles, gazing lovingly down upon his newborn daughter. "Hello Kerrianne."

::

**Thanks for reading :) **

**I've decided to do one more chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

There had never been a time in Filip Telford's life that he drove more careful than the night he drove home his sleepy wife and his newborn daughter. Filip and Fiona had fought for a while in the parking lot about the car seat, Filip wasn't quite sure it was in right, he'd jerked it this way and that and Fiona had sighed. "It can't move, love. It's in fine."

He had carried her into the house, their wee Kerrianne had started kicking up a fuss just a few minutes from home but in his arms she had quickly settled down. He sent his wife directly to bed, and she hadn't argued still exhausted from the entire experience.

"This is your room, Kerri," he informed her as they entered the bright yellow room, it was a happy, sunny colour. The crib was a sandy coloured wood, a pale pink blanket inside. He had purchased a rocking chair and it was placed to the side along with a changing table.

She was staring up at him, her dark brown eyes blinking, she took in a couple of breaths as she got ready to wail again. "Hush now, Kerrianne, your mother is sleeping." He trailed a fingertip along her head, her hair was soft and curled in bits here and there. It wasn't quite the tight curls of Fiona, but it wasn't straight like his, their wee Kerrianne fell somewhere in the middle in everything, her complection wasn't as dark as Fiona's but no where near as light as his, her eyes weren't as dark as his, nor as light as her Ma's.

Kerrianne's blinking slowed, her lids staying closed for longer periods of time until she was sleeping in his arms. There was a sense of near overwhelming pride, of absolute pure love. This wee child had only been in the world for hours, and already he knew that he would kill for his daughter, would die for her without question. He would do absolutely _anything_ if it were to keep her safe.

He continued to familiarize himself with the tiny stranger in his arms. She was brand new, and they knew nothing about one another. "I'm your Da," he found himself saying. "And you're my wee little girl." His voice was low, barely a whisper, after all he didn't wish to wake the sleeping child, nor Fiona for that matter. "I love you."

He brushed his thumb gently over the tiny little bumps of her knuckles, then the little winkles in her finger joints. Her fingernails were so tiny that he found himself staring, in complete and absolute awe of what he and Fiona had created. They'd done good. Their little Kerrianne was absolutely perfect in every single way. Right from her first breath, hell, even before she'd made her great escape from the womb he'd been enamoured with her.

Carefully, he adjusted his arm but the small movement had her eyes opening, a couple deep gulps before the cries began. "Sh– cra–darn," he finally decided frown lines between his eyes as he stared. How could someone so small make so much noise?

He rocked a bit in the chair trying to soothe her, but it did nothing. He stood adjusting her so he could hold her close while her head rested on his shoulder. "Hush now," he pleaded with the child. "You're going to wake your Ma."

Filip was pacing, bouncing slightly in his step when he spotted Fiona in the doorway. She might have looked tired but she still looked gorgeous. There was a smile on her face and love in her eyes. "Maybe she's hungry," Fiona suggested walking in and taking the child from Filip's hands. He hovered nearby worriedly, he knew that this was likely the case, but she was so small, what if something was really the matter with their girl?

Fiona had practically been waiting for some comment about breastfeeding when she sat down and carefully undid a few of the top buttons of one of Filip's shirts that she was fond of sleeping in. She looked up at her husband and could see the worry lines etched in his brow. "She's fine," Fiona insisted as she found that she was right, their wee one had been hungry.

He sighed heavily. He'd been a parent less than a day... he blamed the newness of it. Surely he would get better, he wouldn't worry over every teeny-tiny little thing... right? He stared at Fiona who was looking down with the most loving expression at the little person they had created. Well... if he had Fiona, and she appeared to be a natural at this mothering thing.

Finished, Fiona passed off the child and Filip gladly took Kerrianne into his arms as his wife did her shirt back up. "She looks like you," he decided.

"Aye a bit," Fiona admitted as she stood beside her husband, one arm over Kerrianne her hand holding Filip's. "But I can see a bit of you in there too." Kerrianne yawned wide and the two doting parents smiled. "Put her to bed Filip, you need your rest."

"But-"

"No buts," Fiona sounded amused. "She will wake us when she wants us."

He gave a little nod, kissed his baby girl on the top of her head and lowered her into her crib. "Goodnight, Kerrianne."

Fiona stood beside him and brushed her hand along the child's face. "We love you very much. Welcome home, wee one."

::

**THE END**

**Thank you for reading :) **


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